NMDC provides four speed boats to Chhattisgarh for flood rescue operations

New Delhi/Hyderabad: NMDC Limited has provided four speed boats to the Government of Chhattisgarh for rescue, relief and emergency operations amid heavy rains and flooding in Bastar division and adjoining areas of the state.

The initiative was undertaken in response to an emergency request from the state government. NMDC arranged the four speed boats from Pune on a priority basis and handed them over to the district administration within 48 hours of receiving the request.

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The latest support is in addition to a rescue boat already provided by NMDC Steel Limited. The company has also expedited the distribution of food and other relief materials in flood-affected areas.

Each of the four speed boats has a seating capacity of around 8-10 persons and has been provided with safety requirements suitable for emergency rescue operations.

The boats were formally handed over to Akash Chhikara, District Collector, Jagdalpur, at a function held at the Municipal Panchayat Bhawan on September 30.

Speaking on the occasion, Bastar MP Mahesh Kashyap said relief materials were being distributed in relief camps with the support of NMDC. He said NMDC Steel Plant had initially provided one boat for flood-affected villages, but additional boats were required due to the scale of the disaster.

Kashyap said that following his communication with the NMDC management, the company immediately arranged four motor boats from Pune on a priority basis and made them available to the district administration. He also said that he was in discussions with the district administration regarding appropriate compensation for flood victims.

Akash Chhikara, Collector, Bastar, said the administration was working to restore normal public life at the earliest with cooperation from all sections of society. He acknowledged NMDC’s continued support to people in the region and expressed confidence that the company would extend similar assistance in the future.

Pramod Kumar, Executive Director, Nagarnar Steel Plant, highlighted the importance of the Bastar region to steel production and assured all possible cooperation. K P Singh, Executive Director, Pellet Plant, was also present.

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The speed boats will be deployed in Nagarnar, Bhejapdar, Karanpur and Upanpal, besides other affected gram panchayats. They will support the local administration in rescuing and evacuating people from flood-affected areas, transporting essential relief materials and undertaking other emergency operations.

Krishna Kumar Thakur, Director (Personnel), NMDC, said, “Safety and welfare of our operational areas and people are our top priority in NMDC. As soon as we received the request from the state government, we immediately mobilized the resources for arranging the speed boats required for relief operations. NMDC is committed to extend all possible support to the district administration in tackling the current flood situation and to provide timely assistance to the affected people.”

The deployment of the speed boats is expected to strengthen the disaster response capacity of the district administration and facilitate time-bound rescue and relief operations in flood-affected and vulnerable areas.

NMDC said it has been working in coordination with the government and local administration to support communities in its operational areas. The company has reiterated its commitment to providing assistance during emergencies and supporting the safety, welfare and disaster resilience of local communities.

The programme was attended by Janpad President Padanam Nayak, Janpad member Arjun Sethiya, Karanpur Sarpanch Geetanjali Nagesh, Bhejapdar Sarpanch Bhuvaneshwari Baghel, Nagarnar Sarpanch Umakanto Baghel, former Sarpanch Champa Bai, and Janpad members Seemanchal Das, Geeta Mishra, Vedavati Kashyap and Hameshwari Nag.

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